There are many who love to take a ride on a motorcycle to feel the wind and the weather, and to enjoy the feeling of the sun on their face. Though I am not partial to them myself, I have family members who love to ride them and one that owns a motorcycle shop. I have learned a lot of things about these machines through them and some things that I never knew about motorcycle clothing. I never really thought about it, but you do have to watch what you wear when you ride.

Most children learn that it is not a good idea to have anything hanging down from their legs when they are riding their bikes. The same holds true for motorcycle clothing. You don’t want to be wearing anything that could get caught in a moving part while the bike is in motion. You may notice that some have tight jeans on no matter what the fashion trends of the day are. They are protecting themselves from getting hurt.

I always thought that leather jackets were a fashion statement for bikers, but really, they make a lot of sense if you think about it. When you are riding in a car, you have protection from bugs and other things that might be in the air. You don’t have that protection on a motorcycle. Those things can feel like bullets hitting your skin and the leather jackets are some of the best motorcycle clothing protection you can have. Other jackets work, but these are probably the best choice. Even on hot days, you can get chilly on a bike and they offer warmth as well.

One thing I never thought about was long hair. Though it is not technically motorcycle clothing, there are some things that women and men with long hair should consider before hopping on a bike. The wind can do a lot of damage to hair and it is a good idea to protect it. Most put long hair in a ponytail or a braid, but there are hair protectors that go down the length of that ponytail or braid to stop the wind from knotting the hair. Though some motorcycle clothing might seem like a fashion, it is mostly for the protection of the body. Though a short ride on a motorcycle might not be that bad if you aren’t prepared, anyone going for a long ride needs to have the right clothing.

My hair has been just about every color of the rainbow. By nature I have a rather rich, dark brown color to my hair, however, both of my younger sisters were born blonde and I must admit this held the key to my dissatisfaction over the years. As a teenager I experimented by splashing peroxide into my hair and going out in the sun. Or sometimes I would take a little lemon juice to my strands hoping to create some blondish highlights. I never ended up with more than a slight change to my hue, and it wasn’t until I moved out from home, that I started my hair experimentation in earnest.

Then I went stark raving mad! My first wish was to become a bleach blonde. None of these wishy-washy, dirty blonde, testing-of-the-waters for me. I stripped all of the natural color out of my hair. Then proceeded with the second step of the process, applying a heavenly shade of angelic blonde. Of course, not being a hair dresser, I thought it would be a good idea to double up the processing times. I ended up with crispy, fried ends, uneven color and too-large-to-ignore sections of hair that had broken off near the root.

Anyone with half a claim to sanity, would know that it was time to stop and give myself over to the hands of a professional. However, I still hadn’t lost my gumption. I decided a haircut was in order immediately, and I commissioned my younger sister to cut off my long damaged locks in favor of a short n’ spiky style. Surprisingly, this approach worked and I have pictures to this day that attest to the success of this adventure.

I guess I’ve always been a risk taker, especially when it comes to my hair. That’s not to say that I haven’t played around with temporary color from time to time. I’ve found that this non committal route has it’s place. Especially when I’ve had a hankering for a spicy red color, which tends to happen after a couple of glasses of wine, that I know will only be a passing fancy. My son who is only nine, also experiments with temporary color. He has a couple of tubes ranging from green to bright orange. And every once in a while, he’ll sport a new look that is thankfully easy to wash out. I’ve used temporary color for events as well. Such as concerts and parties, when I want to add some excitement to my look. However, I still tend to flirt with disaster preferring permanent color that is less likely to wash out or fade.

My hair is currently two-tone, light brown with lots of blonde highlights. I will likely lean towards a brighter blonde over the summer months, opting for darker shades in the winter. But every once in a while I’ll throw a new look in the mix - whether I play it safe with temporary color or go all out with a new permanent shade, just depends on my mood.